October 8, 1885: Steer Headed for Slaughter Makes a Break to Free Himself

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA

October 8, 1885: An unruly steer from the butcher shop of Spatz and Lechner, who probably objected to being cut up into roast and steaks, broke out of the slaughter house and came tearing down Reading Avenue with head bowed.

He ran down the alley to the cattle yard where “the noble Knights of the long apron and bloody knife” thought they had their runaway cornered, but Mr. Steer didn’t. He leaped over the high fence to the mines with the excited crowd following.

He stopped at the Keystone House to take a drink (another touch of Editor Spatz’s humor; the Keystone House was a popular bar where the Hookies is now located), and they caught him.

The “cowkillers” returned home with their beef which will be served at many a Boyertown dinner table this weekend.

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